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CELEBRATING THE GLORIOUS TWELFTH....WELCOME TO THE ' REAL' FOREST OF BOWLAND

Monday, 5 October 2009

Summer at last!

It has to be said a lovely day, the walk along the headland at Cockersands was pure delight with not a breeze and brilliant sunshine, something of a rare event here and the sea was like the proverbial millpond.

Conder Pool appeared to be almost dead again today until out from behind the far island came the juvenile-1st winter Mediterranean Gull above, it was eventually accompanied on the pool by a Common Sandpiper, and just one Little Grebe seen today, at least 25 Swallows surprised me going south with some drinking from the pool as they passed through. Six Snipe were in the creeks and 4 Greenshank were in the channel below the old railway bridge.

Adult Med Gull west of Fluke Hall slipway.

At Glasson Dock on the Lune Estuary a Guillemot was a nice find looking healthy but obviously taken a wrong turn, also to note here, c.70 Bar - tailed Godwit and a similar number of Black- tailed Godwit, a Greenshank, up to 600 Golden Plover, a Little Egret, and 19 Cormorant counted. Two Little Egret were on Glasson Marsh from Bodie Hill.

At Cockersands despite a two hour circular taking in many of the nooks and crannies of the area nothing caused me to have to use the mobile but a pleasant walk produced 33 Eider off Plover Scar around the lighthouse and 19 Pink - footed Geese going south. Back via the road circa numbers of 20 Skylark over, 30 - very difficult to count - Tree Sparrow, 20 Goldfinch three of which decided to mob a Sparrowhawk, not a good idea but I never saw a raptor yet attempt to take a bird mobbing it. Opposite Braides looking over the new scrapes I saw a Merlin fly off from a fence post, and Peregrine Falcon which appeared to have something pinned to the ground. Spotting 12 'swans' from the car in a field opposite Sand Villa I pulled in to find a Whooper Swan with 11 Mute Swans, another Whooper Swan was in company with up to 3,000 Pink - footed Geese on Pilling Marsh where there was 9 Little Egret between Lane Ends and Fluke Hall where I found an adult Mediterranean Gull just west of the slipway, I also noted from here another 42 Pink - footed Geese flying south over Cockerham Marsh.

I think the quality of today's pics is the giveaway as to who's they are......no further comment!

2 comments:

Pete. The pics are fine as was the wonderful "Summer's Day" you enjoyed on your favourite bit of coastline. Great variety of birds,testament to all the hard work you put in. Looking forward to the meet.